Safety cut out switch operating mechanism for conveyors and the like



March 18, 1958 P. E. PETELER 2,327,

SAFETY CUT ouw swrrcu OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CONVEYORS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1956 INVENTOR.

' 4770F/VEV5 March 18, 1958 P. E. PETELER 2,

SAFETY CUT OUT SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CONVEYORS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 9 SAFETY CUT OUT SWITCH OPERA? 1N G ME UH- ANISM FOR CGNVEYORS AND THE LliKE Philip E. Peteler, Minneapolis, Miran, assignor to Superior Dairies, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

Application June 6, 1956, Serial No. 589,632

3 Claims. (Cl. 193-132) My invention relates generally to machines for filling and sealing of cartons for milk or other fluids, and more particularly to means for automatically stopping such machines when the progress of the cartons therethrough is interrupted for any reason such as the inability of a disfigured carton to pass through a conveyor thereof.

Not infrequently a carton becomes damaged and disfigured in the handling. As a consequence thereof, such a carton will not pass between the guide walls of the horizontal conveyor, conventionally utilized in machines of thi type. it is highly important that such cartons be removed from the delivery run of filled cartons, not only because of the fact that such damage frequently causes them to leak, but also due to the fact that they do not pack well, when so disfigured.

V Furthermor it is highly important that a carton which has become jammed due to its irregular shape, or alternatively due to its becoming angularly positioned so as to render it incapable of passing between the laterally spaced guides of the horizontal conveyor, be removed so that successive cartons are not forced thereinto and likewise damaged.

Machines of the class above described are conventionally provided with reciprocating pusher mechanism which pushes the successive cartons, being elevated on a vertical conveyor, to the flight of a horizontal conveyor. Reciprocal movements are imparted to the pusher mechanism by an electric motor.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of novel control means for said electric motor, said control means comprising a switch mounted adjacent to the path of. travel of the reciprocating pusher, an elongated switch operating member extending longitudinal of the path of said pusher, and an actuator carried by said pusher, said actuator being disposed in spaced relationship to said elongated member when said pusher element is in its normal position, but engaging said member and moving same in a direction to open said switch, upon displacement of said pusher element from said normal position.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described wherein the pusher is mounted ona reciprocating carriage and is retained in a normal pushing position, at substantially right angles to the path of travel of said carriage, by spring pressed detent.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described in further combination with means yieldingly biasing said switch operating member toward a switch closing posi tion.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of V a. device of the class above described which is relatively inexpensive to produce, which is fool-proof in its operation, and which is rugged and durable.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings,

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view in plan of a conventional carton filling and sealing machine, showing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the structure of Fig. 1, some parts being broken away, and some parts shown in section; V

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view'corresponding to Fig. l but showing a different position of some of the parts thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view of a fragmentary detailed section taken substantialy on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a frame structure upon which the various mechanism making up a conventional carton filling and sealing machine are mounted. Thus, a horizontally disposed conveyor, including a belt 2, one end of which is shown as passing over a roller 3, is secured to the frame 1 through bearing caps 4. On opposite sides of the conveyor belt 2 are upstanding laterally spaced guide rails 5 which preferably, and as shown, are provided with diverging carton receiving ends 6. Cartons A adapted to be received between the guide rails 5 for movement on the conveyor belt 2 are preferably formed of waxed paper or the like, and are rectangular in cross-section. Filled cartons A, for delivery to packing cases, are delivered to the horizontal conveyor belt 2 from a second horizontal conveyor, not shown, which delivers the cartons A successively to a stand 7, from which they are successively pushed onto the platform 8 of a vertically reciprocating conveying or elevator mechanism 9. The details of the elevating mecha nism 9 and power operating means therefor form no part of the instant invention and hence are not shown.

My novel invention relates to the novel means for moving the cartons A from the dotted line position of Fig. 2 to the support It from which, by engagement with the immediately following carton A, they are successively pushed on to the conveyor belt 2. This means includes a carriage element 11 mounted for reciprocation in a horizontal plane in laterally spaced relationship to the dotted line delivery position of the platform 8 of the elevator mechanism 9. As shown particularly in Fig. 6, the carriage 11 is contoured on its underside as indicated at 12 to be nestingly received within a stationary horizontally disposed guideway 13. Guideway i3 is in turn rigidly secured to the frame 1 by any suitable means. Reciprocal movements are imparted to the carriage 11 by means of a rack 14 rigidly secured to the underside thereof by means of longitudinally spaced bolts 15 or the like (see Fig. 6), and a pinion 16 mounted fast on a power shaft 17 having its opposite ends suitably journalled in bearing caps 18 on the frame 1. Conventional reversing mechanism, not shown, is utilized to impart rotary movements to the shaft 17 in opposite directions.

Mounted on the carriage 11 is a pusher element 19, which as shown, is pivotally secured thereto as at 20 for movements on a vertical axis, from a normal position at right angles to the direction of movement thereof (see Fig. 1) to the displaced angular position of Fig. 3.

Preferably and as shown, the pusher element 19 comprises a pusher blade 21, the flange like inner end 22 of which is rigidly secured to a horizontally disposed mounting plate 22' which in turn is pivotally secured to the carriage 11 at 20 as above entioned. By reference 'an elongated switch operating member or bar 36.

to Fig. '6, it will be observed that the carriage 11 is provided with an upwardly opening recess 23 in which a coil spring 24 and a metallic ball 25 is retained. The coil spring 24 urges theball 25 towardthe detent 26 at the underside of the mounting plate 22', and thus tends to retain the pusher blade 21 in its normal position at right 7 anglesto the direction of movement of the carriage 11.

As shown in Fig. 3, however, the. ball 25 is unseated from the detent 26 when the pusher-blade 21 engages the carton A which for one reason or another is not'being received freely between the guide rails Son opposite sides of the horizontal conveyor 2, thus causing the pusher blade 21 to be pivotally swung rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the carriage 11, without causing any additional damage to the carton A.

Secured to the frame 1, by suitable means, is a L- shaped bracket 27 upon which is mounted a conventional normally open switch 28. Preferably, the switch 28 is of the type commonly known as a microswitch and is operated by means of a button projectiug laterally outwardly from one side thereof. The entire switch 23 with its operating button 29 is enclosed within a flexible rubber-like casing 3 9, the switch 28 being interposed in a circuit comprising'a lead 31, opposite ends of which are connected to oposite sides of a conventional power line '32. Preferably, the switch 28 controls operation of one or more motors 33 which powerthe several conveyors.

The switch 28 is held in a closed position by means of an adjustable switch engaging element in the nature of a nut-equipped bolt or the like, 34, screw threaded into one side of a U-shaped bracket 35, the opposite side of which is rigidly secured to the intermediate portion of It will be noted that the switch operating bar 36 extends longitudinally of the direction of movement of the carriage 11 in spaced relationship thereto, and is supported from the bracket 27 by means of a pair of longitudinaly spaced parallel studs 37, one end of each of which is rigidly secured to the operating bar 36, and the other ends thereof beingv slidably received in suitable openings 38 in the bracket 27. [Coil compression springs 39 surround the pins or studs 37'between the bar 36 and bracket 27 to yieldingly urge the operating .bar 36 toward the carriage 11 and the switch operating bolt 34 into engagement with the switch button 29. The studs 37 are provided with adjustment and lock nuts 40 for the purpose of properly positioning the operating bar 36 with respect to the carriage 11, With reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the operating stud or bolt 34 is provided with ya lock nut 41, whereby the same may be locked in adjacent position with respect to the switch button 29.

At its rear end, the mounting. plate 22 is formed to provide an actuator in the nature ,of a cam 42 which, 'whenthe pusher blade 21 is in its normal position of Fig.1, moves in closely spaced relationship to the operating bar 36. With reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that when a cartonA becomes jammed between the guide rails 5, or if for any other reason the pusher blade'21 is unable to move the caitons A forwardly in the line of direction, the extreme added load on the pusher blade 21 causes the pusher blade 21, together with its mount ing plate 22 to overcome the resistance of the ball 25 and detent 2s and the pusher blade 21will swing about the axis of the pivot pin or screw 20 to its position of Fig. 3, inwhich position the actuator cam 42 moves the operatingbar 36 in a direction to open the switch 28. 'Thus, operation of the entire machine is suspended until the defective carton can'be removed, and before further damage can be inflicted on subsequent cartons. There after, when the, damaged carton A is removed, the pusher element 19 is swung into its normal position of Fig. l

and normal operation of the machine is resumed.

My invention has been completely tested and found to be satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while I have shown a preferred'embodiment' thereof, it should be specifically understood that same is capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a carton filling and sealing machine, a horizontally disposed conveyor, a vertically disposed conveyor adjacent the receiving end of said horizontally disposed conveyor, means for transferring cartons in succession from said vertical conveyor to said horizontal conveyor, said including a carriage element and a pusher element on said carriage element for common movement therewith between carton receiving and delivering positions and for independent movements with respect thereto between a normal package engaging position at substantially right angles to the direction of travel of the carriage element and a displaced position thereof angular thereto,

yielding means retaining said pusher element in its normal position, means including an electric motor for imparting conveying movements to said conveyors and delivery and return movements to said carriage element, and control means for said motor, said control means comprising a switch mounted adjacent the path of travel of said carriage element, an elongated switch operating member extending longitudinally of the path of travel of said carriage element, and an actuator carried by said pusher element, said actuator being disposedin spaced relationship to said elongated member when said pusher element is in its normal position but engaging said membet and moving same in a direction to open said switch upon displacement of said pusher element from its normal position on said carriage element.

2. In a carton filling and sealing machine, a horizontally disposed conveyor, a vertically disposed conveyor adjacent the receiving end of said horizontally disposed conveyor, means for transferring cartons in succession from said 'vertical'conveyor to said horizontal conveyor, said means including a carriageelement and a pusher element on said carriage element for common movement therewith between carton receiving and delivery positions and for independent movements with respect thereto between a normal packageengaging position at substantially right angles to the direction of travelof'the carriage element and a displaced position thereof angular thereto, yielding means retaining said pusher element in its normal position, means including an electricmotor for imparting conveying movements to said'conveyors and delivery and return movements to said carriage element, and control means for said motor, said control means comprising a switch, a bracket member mounting said switch adjacent the path of travel of said carriage element, an elongated switch operating member extending longitudinally of the path of travel of said carriage element,

means mounting said elongated member to said bracket for bodily movements in opposite directions transversely of said path of travel between switch open and switch closed positions, yielding means urging said elongated member toward a switch closed position, and an actuator carried by said pusher element, said actuator being disposed in spaced relationship to .said elongated member when said pusher element is in its normal position but engaging said elongated member and moving the same in a direction to open said switch upon displacement of said pusher element from its normal position on said carriage element and against bias of said last-mentioned yielding means.

5 6 a different one of said studs, said studs having means FOREIGN PATENTS thereon engaging one of said members to limit move- 333,567 Germany Man 8, 1921 ment of said elongated member towards said pusher ele- 454,952 Great Britain Oct. 12, 1935 ment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,695,083 Blackburne Dec. 11, 19 28 2,648,181 Dalton Aug. 11, 1953 10 

